Former Boston Celtic Shelden Williams surprised by Perkins trade, not worried about Shaq

AP PhotoShelden Williams is back in Boston with the Knicks for the round one playoff matchup.

Shelden Williams played 54 games with the Boston Celtics last season. He practiced day-in, day-out against the likes of Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, and Kendrick Perkins. So when the General Manager Danny Ainge traded Kendrick Perkins minutes before the February 24th trade deadline, Williams was as shocked as most Celtics fans.

"It's not for me to understand that trade," Williams said. "[Perkins] meant a lot to that team."

The Boston Celtics were 41-14 before trading away Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. They are just 15-12 since the trade, despite winning the first five post-trade games.

"They thought they were doing the right thing, Williams said. "But he was one of the back bone pieces for that defense and they traded him away.

"Like I said, I'm not sure why. He was one of the vital parts of the defense with a team that prides itself on defense."

While Williams is happy to not have to face Perkins in a potentially grueling seven-game series, he was ambivalent about Shaquile O'Neal's presence. Told that Shaq would be absent for Game 1, Williams shrugged: O'Neal is not the focus of the New York Knicks defense.

"He wasn't talked about in the preparation at all." Williams said.

O'Neal is still listed as day-to-day with a right calf injury that has bothered Shaq for more than the last month.